


Not Today

by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 12x21, Eileen lives, F/M, Fix-It, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 22:33:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10886286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortheloveofcamelot/pseuds/Leahelisabeth
Summary: Because Eileen deserves to be more than the death before the title card.





	Not Today

The door to the bunker slammed with a finality that left Sam reeling. To think that not that long ago he had been optimistic, even excited to see the American Hunters working with the British Men of Letters to eradicate monsters. He remembered the euphoric high from finally taking out the Alpha vamp and he just felt sick to his stomach. Everything had been looking up, his mom was back in his life, even if it was only sporadically. He had friends, maybe even someone to be more than friends, but he could feel everything he had fought to keep slipping through his fingers like smoke.

“Sam,” Dean’s voice finally broke through. Sam realized belatedly that his brother had been trying to speak to him for some time. He scrubbed a hand quickly over his face, more to keep from showing Toni any weakness, and turned to face his brother.

“Who the hell does that man think he is?” Toni spat.

“Never thought I’d meet a British dick that I hated more than you,” Dean jeered.

“I’m flattered, really, but enough flirtation. Surely you boys have discovered another way out,” Toni carefully smoothed her hands over her hair to tame non existent flyaways. 

“Sure, plenty,” Dean growled. “But I’m pretty sure none of them work when we’ve been put into lockdown. Stupid, arrogant Men of Letters, so sure that nothing can touch them so long as they’ve got their fancy bunkers.”

It must irk you so to have become one of us then. Face it, Dean, you too have become complacent. You thought no one could touch you here. You forgot there was more than one key.” Toni arched one delicate eyebrow.

“Shut up,” Sam said, too tired to inject any real menace into his tone. “Dean, you’re going to try and get into the machinery, see if you can buy us a few more days of air. I’m going to go to the library and see if I can find mention of a back door. There are still a few journals I haven’t read.”

“What about me,” Toni asked petulantly.

“”You’re coming with me and putting those eyes to use. I’m sure you want to get out of here as fast as we do. Help us and we won’t put a bullet in your head to conserve the air.” Sam towered over her.

“Fine, but only because my sense of self preservation is greater than my distaste for your american barbarism,” Toni smiled sweetly and turned to go into the library.

Sam caught his brother’s gaze before Dean left. There would be time for grief if they survived this but the time was not now.

Hours later, Sam was squinting in candle light and the air was already beginning to get stale. Toni had long since dozed off in one of the armchairs and Sam was really tempted to throw a book at her. They were useless anyway. There was nothing left he could do. He could hear Dean banging away down in the basement, occasionally interrupted by profanity, and he knew his brother wasn’t making any headway either. 

His head flopped down on his arm as he struggled to read the words on the page, They blurred as the tears he had been holding back for days threatened to fall. His moment of despair was interrupted by the sudden return of the light and a breath of fresh air from the direction of the entrance. And there were footsteps on the stairs. Sam pulled his gun and crept toward the door.

Toni woke up instantly and followed him so closely she ran into his broad back when he stopped. 

A figure was standing there at the bottom of the stairs and Sam almost dropped his gun because Eileen was standing there with not a single mark from claw or tooth. Sam rushed toward her and grabbed her upper arms. “What? How?” He pulled her in close. “I thought you were dead. I saw your body. How are you still alive.” He realized suddenly that he was holding her so close that she couldn’t see his face much less read his lips. He held her out at arm’s length again. “What happened?” he asked clearly once her eyes were on him.

“Sam,” she said. “Didn’t you get my letter? I said I was coming to bunk with you for a few days.”

“Yeah...uh, we did, but it was after we found your body and it had been mauled by a fucking hellhound and it looked pretty convincing. Oh god, I’ve gotta find a silver knife. Where’s the holy water. I saw you. You were dead. You were dead. You were…” he was interrupted mid word as Eileen gently laid her finger on his lip.

“Slower,” she said.

“We saw your body,” Sam whispered.

Eileen winced and signed along with her words. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t risk tipping off the Men of Letters. They’ve been persistent. I hoped my letter would be enough. I ran into Max Banes on my way back. He discovered this new magic. He made a copy of me out of twigs and leaves.”

Sam closed his eyes, the pang of grief at imagining Max’s choice surprising him with its intensity. “But he couldn’t copy you without taking your heart.” He set his hand gently on her chest, the steady beat he felt there causing him to breath a sigh of relief. Then he flushed as he realized exactly where his hand was.

“He says he figured out a few things. He used some of my hair and my blood. If he had wanted to make a permanent copy, he would have needed my heart but this one just needed to fool Ketch and a half-crazed hellhound long enough to kill me. Max cast a confusion curse on the doll too, so Ketch wouldn’t think too hard. Did you really think it would be so easy to catch me? I’ve survived on my own for a long time without any Winchester assistance. I’m not about to stop now.”

Sam wordlessly pulled her to his chest once more before catching her lips in a desperate kiss. They were nearly bowled over by Dean who had rushed up from the basement the moment the lights came on.

“Where the hell is Toni?” Dean asked after crushing both of them in a giant hug.

“Damn it,” Sam said. “She must have snuck past while I was distracted. Do you think she’ll tell Ketch?”

I dunno,” Dean said. “She was stupid enough to try to separate the famous Winchester brothers. Do you think she’s dumb enough to risk a bullet to the head from that dickhead?”

“I don’t know either. But one thing is for sure, he’s got mom and I am not going to sit around and wait for him to turn her into a weapon. Maybe it’s time Ketch learns what it really means to be a monster in the Winchester’s home town,” Sam growled.

“I’m coming with you,” Eileen said, pulling Sam down into a deeper kiss when it looked like he might protest.

And with the feel of her lips on his, Sam found the hope he had lost. Maybe today wasn’t the day he lost everything after all.


End file.
